pestilence that can be conceived. Women are reported to have actually eaten their own children during the siege for want of food. Upon none did the last judg- ments sent upon the Jewish nation fall so heavily as up- on the wives, the mothers, and the little children.
Let us beware of supposing that the Lord Jesus holds out to man nothing but mercy, pardon, love, and for- giveness. Beyond all doubt He is plenteous in mercy. There is mercy with Him like a mighty stream. He " delighteth in mercy." But we .must never forget that there is justice with Him as well as mercy. There are judgments preparing for the impenitent and the unbe- lieving. There is wrath revealed in the Gospel for those who harden themselves in wickedness. The same cloud which was bright to Israel was dark to the Egyptians. The same Lord Jesus who invites the labouring and heavy-laden to come to Him and rest, declares most plainly that imless a man repents he will perish, and that he who believeth not shall be damned. (Luke xiii. y. Mark xvi. 16.) The same Saviour who now holds out His hands to the disobedient and gainsaying, will come one day in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those that know not God and obey not the GospeL (2 Thess. i. 8.) Let these things sink down into our hearts. Christ is indeed most gracious. But the day of grace must come to an end at last. An unbeliev- ing world will find at length, as Jerusalem did, that there is judgment with God as well as mercy. Jfo wrath will fall so heavily as that which has been long accumulating and heaping up.
We ought to notice, for another thing, in this passage,